System and method for multi-mode command input

ABSTRACT

A controlling device has a moveable touch sensitive panel positioned above a plurality of switches. When the controlling device senses an activation of at least one of the plurality of switches when caused by a movement of the touch sensitive panel resulting from an input at an input location upon the touch sensitive surface, the controlling device responds by transmitting a signal to an appliance wherein the signal is reflective of the input location upon the touch sensitive surface.

RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION

This application claims the benefit of and is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/645,037, filed on Dec. 22, 2009, the disclosureof which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Controlling devices for use in issuing commands to entertainment andother appliances, for example remote controls, and the features andfunctionality provided by such controlling devices are well known in theart. Traditionally, user input means on such controlling devices hascomprised a series of buttons each of which may result in thetransmission of a specific command when activated. Increasingly intoday's environment, such controlling devices must be used to interactwith displayed menu systems, browse web pages, manipulate pointers, andperform other similar activities which may require directional controlinput, e.g., to scroll displayed information on a screen, to move apointer, to control a game activity or avatar, to zoom in or out, tocontrol functions such as fast forward or slow motion, or the like (suchactivities collectively referred to hereinafter as “navigation”).Although certain navigation functions may be performed usingconventional controlling device input mechanisms, such as a group of up,down, left, and right arrow keys, in many instances the user experiencemay be improved by the provision of an input mechanism which is bettersuited to this type of activity. Additionally, multi-functional use ofthis input mechanism may further improve user experience by reducing thenumber of keys or buttons on a controlling device.

SUMMARY

The following generally describes a system and method for providingimproved user input functionality on a controlling device. To this end,in addition to a conventional key matrix for receiving button inputs asis well known in the art, a controlling device may be provided withinput means such as for example a resistive or capacitive touch sensor,etc., whereby motion and/or pressure by a user's finger may betranslated into navigation commands to be transmitted to a targetcontrolled device. These commands may be applied at the target device tocontrol operations such as scrolling a menu, movement of a cursor on thescreen, motion of a game object, etc., as appropriate for a particularapplication. Furthermore, in addition to, or when not required for, theperformance of navigation functions, the touch sensitive input means maybe adapted to provide for conventional keypress input operations, suchas for example without limitation a numeric keypad in an illustrativeembodiment.

A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, propertiesand relationships of the invention will be obtained from the followingdetailed description and accompanying drawings which set forthillustrative embodiments and which are indicative of the various ways inwhich the principles of the invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the various aspects of the invention,reference may be had to preferred embodiments shown in the attacheddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system in which an exemplary controllingdevice according to the instant invention may be used;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of exemplary components of theexemplary controlling device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the structure and operation of an exemplary touchsensitive input area of the exemplary controlling device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates multiple modes of operation of the exemplarycontrolling device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary interpretations of user input interactionswith a touch sensitive area of the exemplary controlling device of FIG.4;

FIG. 6 illustrates in flow chart form an exemplary method for performingthe interpretations illustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternate embodiment of a controlling device andsystem in which the teachings of the instant invention may be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an exemplary system in whicha controlling device 100 is configured to control various controllableappliances, such as for example a television 102 and a set top box(“STB”) 104. As is known in the art, the controlling device 100 may becapable of transmitting commands to the appliances, using any convenientIR, RF, Point-to-Point, or networked protocol, to cause the appliancesto perform operational functions. While illustrated in the context of atelevision 102 and STB 104, it is to be understood that controllableappliances may include, but need not be limited to, televisions, VCRs,DVRs, DVD players, cable or satellite converter set-top boxes (“STBs”),amplifiers, CD players, game consoles, home lighting, drapery, fans,HVAC systems, thermostats, personal computers, etc. In a particularillustrative embodiment, in addition to conventional controlfunctionality as is well know in the art, controlling device 100 mayfurther include an input area 106 for generation of navigation commandsfor transmission from the controlling device 100 to one or moreappliances in response to user interaction with that area, used forexample to scroll a program guide menu display 108 on TV 102 by issuinga series of commands to set top box 104. Additionally, in the exemplaryembodiment, input area 106 may be further adapted to offer keypad-likefunctionality during certain modes of operation, all as will bedescribed in further detail hereafter.

With reference to FIG. 2, for use in commanding the functionaloperations of one or more appliances, the controlling device 100 mayinclude, as needed for a particular application, a processor 200 coupledto a ROM memory 204; a RAM memory 202; a key matrix 216 (e.g., hardkeys, soft keys such as a touch sensitive surface overlaid on a liquidcrystal (LCD), and/or an electroluminescent (EL) display); a scrollingand/or navigation function input means 218 such as a capacitive orresistive touch sensor; transmission circuit(s) and/or transceivercircuit(s) 210 (e.g., IR and/or RF); a non-volatile read/write memory206; a means 220 to provide visual feedback to the user (e.g., one ormore LEDs, display, and/or the like); a means 222 to provide audiblefeedback to a user (e.g., a speaker, piezoelectric buzzer, etc.); apower source 208; an input/output port 224 such as a serial interface,USB port, modem, Zigbee, WiFi, or Bluetooth transceiver, etc.; one ormore means 226 for backlighting areas of touchpad 218 and/or key matrix216; and clock and timer logic 212 with associated crystal or resonator214.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, some or all of thememories 202, 204, 206 may include executable instructions(collectively, the program memory) that are intended to be executed bythe processor 200 to control the operation of the remote control 100, aswell as data which serves to define to the operational software thenecessary control protocols and command values for use in transmittingcommand signals to controllable appliances (collectively, the commanddata). In this manner, the processor 200 may be programmed to controlthe various electronic components within the remote control 100, e.g.,to monitor the key matrix 216, to cause the transmission of signals,etc. The non-volatile read/write memory 206, for example an EEPROM,battery-backed up RAM, FLASH, Smart Card, memory stick, or the like, mayadditionally be provided to store setup data and parameters asnecessary. While the memory 204 is illustrated and described as a ROMmemory, memory 204 can also be comprised of any type of readable media,such as ROM, FLASH, EEPROM, or the like. Preferably, the memories 204and 206 are non-volatile or battery-backed such that data is notrequired to be reloaded after battery changes. In addition, the memories202, 204 and 206 may take the form of a chip, a hard disk, a magneticdisk, an optical disk, and/or the like. Still further, it will beappreciated that some or all of the illustrated memory devices may bephysically combined (for example, a single FLASH memory may be logicallypartitioned into different portions to support the functionality ofmemories 204 and 206 respectively), and/or may be physicallyincorporated within the same IC chip as the microprocessor 200 (a socalled “microcontroller”) and, as such, they are shown separately inFIG. 2 only for the sake of clarity.

To cause the controlling device 100 to perform an action, thecontrolling device 100 may be adapted to be responsive to events, suchas a sensed user interaction with the key matrix 216, touchpad 218, etc.In response to an event, appropriate instructions within the programmemory (hereafter the “operating program”) may be executed. For example,when a function key is actuated on the controlling device 100, thecontrolling device 100 may retrieve from the command data stored inmemory 202, 204, 206 a command value and control protocol correspondingto the actuated function key and, where necessary, current device mode,and will use the retrieved command data to transmit to an intendedtarget appliance, e.g., STB 104, a command in a format recognizable bythat appliance to thereby control one or more functional operations ofthat appliance. It will be appreciated that the operating program can beused not only to cause the transmission of commands and/or data to theappliances, but also to perform local operations. While not limiting,local operations that may be performed by the controlling device 100 mayinclude displaying information/data, favorite channel setup, macro keysetup, function key relocation, etc. Examples of local operations can befound in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,481,256, 5,959,751, and 6,014,092.

In some embodiments, controlling device 100 may be the universal type,that is provisioned with a library comprising a multiplicity of commandcodes and protocols suitable for controlling various appliances. In suchcases, for selecting sets of command data to be associated with thespecific appliances to be controlled (hereafter referred to as a setupprocedure), data may be entered into the controlling device 100 thatserves to identify each intended target appliance by its make, and/ormodel, and/or type. The data may typically be entered via activation ofthose keys that are also used to cause the transmission of commands toan appliance, preferably the keys that are labeled with numerals. Suchdata allows the controlling device 100 to identify the appropriatecommand data set within the library of command data that is to be usedto transmit recognizable commands in formats appropriate for suchidentified appliances. The library of command data may represent aplurality of controllable appliances of different types and manufacture,a plurality of controllable appliances of the same type but differentmanufacture, a plurality of appliances of the same manufacture butdifferent type or model, etc., or any combination thereof as appropriatefor a given embodiment. In conventional practice as is well known in theart, such data used to identify an appropriate command data set may takethe form of a numeric setup code (obtained, for example, from a printedlist of manufacturer names and/or models with corresponding codenumbers, from a support Web site, etc.). Alternative setup proceduresknown in the art include scanning bar codes, sequentially transmitting apredetermined command in different formats until a target applianceresponse is detected, interaction with a Web site culminating indownloading of command data and/or setup codes to the controllingdevice, etc. Since such methods for setting up a controlling device tocommand the operation of specific home appliances are well-known, thesewill not be described in greater detail herein. Nevertheless, foradditional information pertaining to setup procedures, the reader mayturn, for example, to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,959,810, 5,614,906, or 6,225,938all of like assignee and incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

In keeping with the teachings of this invention, controlling device 100may include input means for accepting user touch input to be translatedinto navigation commands. In an exemplary embodiment, input means 218may take the form of a multiple-electrode capacitive touch sensor. Inthis form, input means 218 may accept finger sliding gestures on eitheraxis for translation into navigation step commands in an X or Ydirection, as well as finger pressure at, for example, the cardinalpoints and center area for translation into discrete commands, forexample equivalent to a conventional keypad's four arrow keys and aselect key, all as will be described in further detail hereafter.

Turning to FIG. 3, the construction of an exemplary navigation inputmeans 218, which may comprise area 106 of exemplary controlling device100, will now be discussed in detail. Such an input means may comprisethe before-mentioned multiple-electrode capacitive touch sensor 302 andan associated acrylic keycap 304, positioned upon a group ofconventional silicon rubber keypad buttons 310, 311, 312, 313 (hereaftera “floating touch sensor”). Silicon rubber keypad 306 and buttons 310through 313, which may comprise a portion of key matrix 216 as wellknown in the art, may be supported by printed circuit board 308 and mayserve to hold touch input assembly 302,304 elevated and flush with anassociated opening formed in the upper casing 316 of controlling device100. In an exemplary embodiment the surface of acrylic keycap 304covering touch sensor 302 may include indicia which provide cues to thefunctionality of input means 106, which indicia may be embossed orengraved 320 or printed 318 upon the keycap surface. In certainembodiments additional indicia may also be present on acrylic keycap304, which additional indicia may be illuminated or otherwise broughtinto prominence during certain modes of operation, as will be describedin further detail hereafter.

In a first input mode, a user may slide a finger across the surface ofthe touch surface, e.g., keycap 304, to cause navigation command output,for example as described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/552,761, of like assignee and incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. Such navigation step commands resulting from finger slidinggestures may be reported to a target appliance using any convenienttransmission protocol, IR or RF, as known in the art. In general, suchreports may include information representative of both direction andspeed of the input gesture. Since exemplary gesture interpretation andreporting techniques are presented in the above referenced '761application, for the sake of brevity these will not be repeated herein.In a second input mode, which may be used in conjunction with orseparately from finger slide input, a user may press downwards 322anywhere upon the touch surface, e.g., acrylic keycap 304. Asillustrated, this will result in compression of one or more of theunderlying silicon rubber buttons 310 through 313, for example button310′ as shown in FIG. 3. As in a conventional keypad, compression ofsuch a button may cause a conductive contact area on the underside ofsaid button to complete an electrical circuit provided for that purposeon printed circuit board 308, i.e., cause a key press event to bedetected by the operating program of controlling device 100. In thisinstance however, the actuation of any one or more of silicon rubberbuttons 310 through 313 may be interpreted by the operating program ofcontrolling device 100 simply as a general signal that the touch padinput area 106 has received a finger press. The actual significance ofthe event and the command to be issued may then be determined by theoperating program of controlling device 100 based on the position of theuser's finger as reported by touch sensor 302 at the time the electricalcircuit was completed.

By way of further example, if conventional keypress decoding based onlyon the status of silicon rubber buttons 310 through 313 were to beemployed in this example and user finger pressure was applied atlocation 324, it will be appreciated that the circuits associated witheither or both of buttons 310 and 313 may be completed individually orcollectively in either order and within a short time of one another,which may lead to uncertainty as to the exact location of the actuatingfinger. Likewise, considering for a moment an alternate embodiment inwhich the silicon buttons are dispensed with and the touch input padfixedly mounted in the controlling device casing, the decoding functionof the controlling device operating program may in this instance berequired to distinguish between a finger tap action and the commencementor termination of a finger slide action. Accordingly, it will beappreciated that in the exemplary embodiment presented, advantageouslyfinger press detection and finger position detection are performedseparately in the manner described above, which may result in a morerobust and reliable overall detection mechanism. Further, the provisionof keypad elements as part of such a floating touch sensor may alsoresult in improved user tactile feedback.

Certain embodiments of controlling device 100 may support multiple modesof operation of touch input area 106. By way of example, with referenceto FIG. 4, in an exemplary embodiment the operation of touch input area106 of controlling device 100 may be user switchable between navigationmode and digit entry mode, for example via a “numeric” toggle button402, labeled “1-2-3” in the illustrative example. When in the navigationmode, user finger swipes and presses on touch input area 106 may beinterpreted by the operating program of controlling device 100 asrequests to issue navigation commands as described previously. However,when toggled into digit entry mode by activation of button 402,interpretation of touch area input by the operating program ofcontrolling device 100 may change to a represent a twelve-key numericinput pad, with only finger press input recognized. In some embodimentsthe appearance of touch input pad 106, in particular that of acrylickeycap 304, may be altered to signal this mode of operation to a user,as illustrated at 404. Such a change in appearance may be effected, forexample, by illumination via backlight of digit indicia laser etchedinto the surface of acrylic keycap 304. Illumination may be achieved byone or more LEDs directed towards the edge of keycap 304, i.e., usingthe acrylic material as a light pipe; by conventional backlighting usingone or more LEDs mounted on the surface of capacitive touch sensor 302;or any other means as appropriate for a particular embodiment. Withoutlimitation, an example of such an illuminable interface is described incommonly assigned, published application no. 2006/0283697.

Turning now to FIG. 5, when exemplary controlling device 100 isfunctioning in the normal (i.e., navigation) mode, upon actuation of oneor more of the keypad keys 310 through 313 associated with navigationpad 106 the operating program of controlling device 100 may retrieve thecurrent finger position coordinates “X” 502 and “Y” 504 and translatethese values into a command request based upon which one of five zones506 the X,Y coordinates are determined to fall within. By way ofexample, a finger press at the indicated location 512 may be interpretedas occurring within zone 508 which corresponds in this example to the“left arrow” navigation indicia 514, and the corresponding navigationcommand issued to the target appliance. In contrast, in an illustrativeembodiment, when exemplary controlling device 100 is functioning in adigit entry mode as a result of actuation of “1-2-3” button 402 theretrieved X,Y coordinates may be interpreted by the operating program ofcontrolling device 100 according to a twelve zone schema 520, each zonenow corresponding to one of the digits “0” through “9” together with an“Enter” and a “Separator” functions. By way of further example, whenfunctioning in this mode the operating program of controlling device 100may interpret a finger press at location 512′ to correspond to thenumeric digit “4”, and the corresponding numeric digit command issued tothe target appliance.

By way of more detailed example, the flowchart of FIG. 6 in conjunctionwith Tables 1 and 2 present an exemplary method for processing andinterpreting user interactions which may be implemented by the operatingprogram of controlling device 100. Turning to FIG. 6, upon detection ofkey matrix input 600 by the operating program of controlling device 100,it may be first determined at step 602 if the actuated key is the“1-2-3” digit entry toggle button 402. If so, at step 604 it may be nextdetermined if controlling device is already functioning in the numericentry mode. If not, at step 606 numeric mode operation status is set to“true” and numeric indicia 404 illuminated as described earlier. Ifhowever, the device is already functioning in the numeric entry mode,then actuation of button 402 may be interpreted a request to exit thismode and return to the navigation mode of operation, which is performedat step 608.

If the actuated key is not the “1-2-3” button, at step 610 the operatingprogram of controlling device 100 may next determine if the actuated keyis one of the group 310 through 313 associated with touch sensorassembly 302, 304. If not, the key input may represent a conventionalbutton, for example “volume up” 406, and is processed at step 612. Sincesuch conventional key decoding and command output are well known in theart, for the sake of brevity this aspect of controlling device 100 andassociated operating program will not be discussed further herein.

If however, the operating program of controlling device 100 determinesthat the actuated key is one or more of the group 310 through 313, atstep 614 the “X” and “Y” coordinates of the user's actuating fingerposition may be ascertained from touch sensor 302. Next, in order toestablish the interpretation to be applied to these values, at step 616the operating program of controlling device 100 may determine if touchpad input is currently to be interpreted as digit entry or as navigationentry. If navigation entry is the current operational mode, then at step618 the reported X,Y coordinates may be interpreted according to a fivezone model 506 illustrated in FIG. 5. By way of example, withoutlimitation, if the X and Y coordinates are each reported as a linearvalue in the range 0 to 15 with origin 0,0 at the bottom left corner oftouchpad 302, then an exemplary algorithm as presented in Table 1 belowmay be applied to resolve the reported coordinate data into one of thefive zones and thereby determine the requested appliance navigationcommand function.

TABLE 1 Reported X value 0-4 5-10 11-15 Reported Y 11-15 (Y-11) > X: UPUP Y > X: UP value (Y-11) < X: LEFT Y < X: RIGHT  5-10 LEFT SEL RIGHT0-4 Y > X: LEFT DOWN Y > (X-11): RIGHT Y < X: DOWN Y < (X-11): DOWN

For example, with reference to the bottom row of Table 1, i.e., whenreported Y coordinate is in the range 0 through 4:

If X is in the range 0 through 4, then

-   -   If Y is greater than X, command equals “left arrow”    -   else    -   If Y is less than X, command equals “down arrow”

else

If X is in the range 5 through 10, then command equals “down arrow”

else

If X is in the range 11 through 15, then

-   -   If Y is greater than (X-11), command equals “right arrow”    -   else    -   If Y is less than (X-11), command equals “down arrow”.

As will be evident from an examination of Table 1, similar algorithmsmay be symmetrically applied to the other possible ranges of X and Y toresolve these values as locations within the five zone pattern 506 ofFIG. 5 and generate command transmissions accordingly.

If however, the operating program of controlling device 100 determinesat step 616 that digit, i.e., numeric key, entry is the currentoperational mode, then at step 620 the reported X,Y coordinates may beinterpreted according to the twelve zone model 520 illustrated in FIG.5. Assuming the same range of coordinate values as presented in theprevious example, an algorithm as represented in Table 2 below may beapplied to resolve the reported coordinate data into one of the twelvezones and thereby determine the requested appliance digit key padcommand function.

TABLE 2 Reported X value 0-5 5-10 11-15 12-15 1 2 3  8-11 4 5 6 4-7 7 89 0-3 — 0 EnterAfter determining the requested appliance command function in the mannerdescribed above, at step 622 the operating program of controlling device100 may transmit the indicated command to the target appliance. Incertain embodiments, actuation of the numeric “Enter” key 408 may bedefined to also cause controlling device 100 to exit the digit entrymode. In such embodiments, at step 624 it may be determined if thecommand just issued was “Enter” in which case processing continues atstep 608 in order to clear the digit entry mode status, whereafterprocessing of the key matrix input is complete.

Turning now to FIG. 7, an alternative exemplary embodiment of acontrolling device 100′ utilizing a floating touch sensor 106′ inaccordance with the instant invention is presented. In this embodiment,upon actuation of one or more of silicon keypad keys 310 through 313,the operating program of controlling device 100′ may simply report theraw X,Y coordinates of the actuation point to an appliance, for examplecable STB 104, for interpretation by that appliance. In such anembodiment cable STB 104 may for example then tailor its interpretationof the reported actuation location based upon STB 104's current mode ofoperation. For example, when displaying program guide information 108 onTV 102, STB 104 may interpret reported floating touch pad data asnavigation commands while, when in direct channel tuning mode, STB 104may interpret reported floating touch pad data as digit keys, scan orskip functions, etc. as appropriate. To facilitate the user interface inthis environment, the floating touch pad of controlling device 100′ maycomprise markings 704 which serve to visually divide the touch surfaceinto generic areas, and STB 104 may display on TV 102 a representation702 of the current interpretation of those areas.

While various concepts have been described in detail, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications andalternatives to those concepts could be developed in light of theoverall teachings of the disclosure. For example, while the exemplaryembodiment presented above utilizes a silicon rubber keypad as anactuation element for the floating touch sensor, it will be appreciatedthat various other mechanisms such as metallic dome switches, microswitches, flexible leaf contacts, etc. may be successfully utilized inother embodiments.

Further, while described in the context of functional modules andillustrated using block diagram format, it is to be understood that,unless otherwise stated to the contrary, one or more of the describedfunctions and/or features may be integrated in a single physical deviceand/or a software module, or one or more functions and/or features maybe implemented in separate physical devices or software modules. It willalso be appreciated that a detailed discussion of the actualimplementation of each module is not necessary for an enablingunderstanding of the invention. Rather, the actual implementation ofsuch modules would be well within the routine skill of an engineer,given the disclosure herein of the attributes, functionality, andinter-relationship of the various functional modules in the system.Therefore, a person skilled in the art, applying ordinary skill, will beable to practice the invention set forth in the claims without undueexperimentation. It will be additionally appreciated that the particularconcepts disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting asto the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth ofthe appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

All publications cited within this document are hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety.

1. (canceled)
 2. A method for remotely controlling one or more devicesand/or a user interface, the method comprising: detecting a user inputevent at a portion of a user input device of a remote control;determining whether the user input event is a click event or a touchevent; mapping a control command to the user input event based onwhether the user input event is a click event or a touch event and onthe portion of the user input button at which the user input event wasdetected; and for a particular portion of the user input element atwhich the user input event was detected, causing a first control commandto be executed in response to determining that the user input event is aclick event and causing a second control command to be executed inresponse to determining that the user input event is a touch event;wherein a threshold associated with a depression of the user inputelement is used to determine whether the user input event is a clickevent or a touch event.
 3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein theuser input element comprises a touch sensing device and whereindetecting the user input event at the portion of the user input devicecomprises determining an X/Y location of a touch upon the touch sensingdevice.
 4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the thresholdassociated with the depression comprises a threshold associated with adepression of a metallic dome underlying the user input element.
 5. Themethod as recited in claim 2, wherein the second control commandcomprises a graphical user interface navigational control command. 6.The method as recited in claim 2, comprising causing indicia to bedisplayed on a display device for indicating to a user a plurality ofcontrol commands transmittable from the remote control via userinteraction with the input element.
 7. The method as recited in claim 2,further comprising enabling a user to selectively map different controlcommands of a plurality of control commands to different user inputevents receivable via the user input element.
 8. The method as recitedin claim 2, further comprising enabling a user to selectively mapdifferent control commands of a plurality of control commands todifferent portions of the user input element.
 9. The method as recitedin claim 2, wherein control commands transmitted from the remote controlare executable through interaction with the graphical user interfacewhen displayed on a display screen.
 10. The method as recited in claim2, wherein the first and/or second control command is a command forremotely controlling a controlled device and the method furthercomprising executing the first and/or second control command at thecontrolled device.
 11. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein aunique control command is mapped to each portion of the user inputelement for each of at least a click input event and a touch inputevent.
 12. A remote control system for remotely controlling one or moredevices and/or a user interface, the remote control system comprising: aplurality of user input elements, each of the user input elementsconfigured to receive a user input event; a plurality of sensorsassociated with a one of the plurality of user input elements, thesensors being configured to generate sensor data in response to a userinput event being received at the one of the plurality of user inputelements; user input event detection logic configured to receive thesensor data and identify whether the user input event received at theone of the plurality of user input elements was a click event or a touchevent, or another user input event; and command selection logicconfigured, for a particular portion of the user input element at whichthe user input event was received, to cause a first control command tobe executed in response to determining that the user input eventreceived at the one of the plurality of user input elements was a clickevent and to cause a second control command to be executed in responseto determining that the user input event received at the one of theplurality of user input elements was a touch event; wherein a thresholdassociated with a depression of the user input element is used todetermine whether the user input event is a click event or a touchevent.
 13. The remote control system as recited in claim 12, wherein theuser input element comprises a touch sensing device and wherein thecommand selection logic detects the user input event at the particularportion of the user input device by determining an X/Y location of atouch upon the touch sensing device.
 14. The remote control system asrecited in claim 12, wherein the threshold associated with thedepression comprises a threshold associated with a depression of ametallic dome underlying the user input element.
 15. The remote controlsystem as recited in claim 12, wherein the second control commandcomprises a graphical user interface navigational control command. 16.The remote control system as recited in claim 12, wherein controlcommands transmitted from the remote control system are executablethrough interaction with the graphical user interface when displayed ona display screen.
 17. The remote control system as recited in claim 12,wherein the first and/or second control command is a command forremotely controlling a controlled device and the first and/or secondcontrol command is executed at the controlled device.
 18. The remotecontrol system as recited in claim 12, wherein a unique control commandis mapped to each portion of the user input element for each of at leasta click input event and a touch input event.
 19. The remote controlsystem as recited in claim 12, further comprising remote control usercustomization logic, the remote control user customization logic beingconfigured to enable a user to selectively map different controlcommands to different portions of the one of the plurality of user inputelements.